Our colleagues at Domer Law Office in Milwaukee got us to thinking about what workers’ compensation injuries are most common and what their cause is.

In Nebraska, the Workers’ Compensation Court Statistical Report breaks down all workers’ comp cases by such areas as the part of the body, the cause of the injury, and the nature of the injury (amputation, repetitive motion, burn or exposure, for example). For 2010, the most recent year statistics were available, “sprains or rupture” followed by “cut or abrasion” are the most common type of injury result. The most likely part of the body to be affected by far was the upper extremities, followed by the back, then “multiple body parts.” And the most injuries were caused by strains and “fall or slip injury.”

According to Domer Law, “the Wisconsin Division of Worker’s Compensation Research and Statistic Bureau categorizes injuries by the body part and nature of injury (amputation, burn, strain, for example).” Strains and lifting injuries are the most common type of injury in Wisconsin. When it comes to body part, “injuries involving the lower back area outstrip any other body part in Wisconsin followed by knees, shoulders, and fingers. In terms of causation, lifting, pushing, pulling and straining are the most prevalent causes.”

Although there are common themes between the two states – such as strains and back injuries – there are also some differences, too, like Nebraska’s “fall or slip” cause where lifting is a bigger concern in Wisconsin. These differences may result from different industries in each state, types of workers’ compensation claims submitted to each state, and the way each state’s workers’ compensation system works. Regardless of the state, be sure to find a workers’ compensation lawyer who can best represent you if you are injured on the job.